An official newsletter of the AUSTRALIAN EQUESTRIAN TEAM

Issue 4, Mar 2012

London Bound The AUS Olympic team’s first major activity for the 2012 campaign has just wrapped up with the completion of the UK Eventing camp at the Unicorn Equestrian Trust at Stow on the Wold. The camp was held at the same centre that the Eventing team will use for their Olympic pre-staging camp and was held to great success.

In conjunction with this camp, I took the opportunity to have one last meeting with Tim Hadaway, the Equestrian Competition Manager for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Tim and his team were very co-operative and helpful. The issue highest on all team’s agendas was accreditation. Tim confirmed that accreditation will be very tight. Added to this is the fact that Australia will field a smaller team than expected due to other sports failing to qualify. I am confident however we will have enough accreditations to provide the support required for our team and deliver on our goals at the London Games.

I wish everyone all the best as you continue to seek selection and if selected, I am sure you will be well rewarded with a wonderful opportunity to compete at what is anticipated to be one of the best Olympic Games since Sydney.

Brett Mace High Performance Manager 2012 Olympic Team Equestrian Section Manager

Read the AOC Olympic newsletter at

http://london2012.olympics.com.au/news

Upcoming events

22-24 Mar

20 Apr

12-15 Apr

26-28 Apr

DJWTS (VIC) CDI-W

Sydney Royal CSI-W

Para-Equestrian

nomination event #3 (VIC)

Sydney International CCI3*

AOC News

Dressage FEI WC Final

s’Hertogenbosch (NED)

19-20 Apr

Trans-Tasman jumping

team NZ Horse of the Year

13-18 Mar

26-29 Apr Rolex Kentucky CCI4*

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Eventing Team Qualifies

Australia’s Eventing Team has

secured its place at the London Olympic Games. The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) confirmed the team’s qualification on 2 March.

Australia has now secured a team for all three Olympic equestrian team competitions as well as the Paralympic team competition.

Australian eventing riders have won seven Olympic team medals (including four gold) as well as four individual medals. After missing out on qualification for the Games from the regional team qualification event in 2011, Australia was dependent on individual rider rankings to secure a team place at London.

1 March was the deadline for the FEI to finalise the individual rider

Australian Eventing Team secures Olympic qualification

Olympic news can be found on the AET website www.aet.equestrian.org.au

www.aet.equestrian.org.au

qualifications ahead of the Olympic Games. Thanks to the strong, consistent performances by our riders, Australia was well placed in the rankings.

National Performance Director for Eventing Prue Barrett is happy to have the team’s inclusion at London confirmed, “We have been watching the rider rankings closely and we were always confident as Australia has consistently had plenty of riders in the top 20. So whilst we fully expected to qualify the team it is great to have it confirmed so we can move forward with our training and preparation as planned for London.”

“Australia is focussed on a medal performance at London. We have a great squad of riders and horses with a good mixture of experienced combinations and up-and-coming

stars hungry for their first Olympic Team. I am confident that our team will mount a strong challenge for the podium,” added Barrett.

A country, which qualifies three to five riders via the FEI individual rider rankings, can form a composite team.

Claiming the top 8 rankings (of countries which have not already qualified a team for the Games) Australia easily secured a team of five for London.

The full list of qualified riders of the 41 qualified nations for the equestrian disciplines can be found here http://www.fei.org/events/games/olympic-games/press-releases/equestrians-41-nations-qualify-london-2012-olympic-games

EA is aiming for 10,000 likes by London 2012 so help us spread the word by asking your friends to like us! We want equestrian riders in London to be the best supported Aussies!

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Deborah MacNicol - DRESSAGE

The last few weeks have seen Australia represented

in CDI competitions in the USA and Europe as well as

tw new CDI3* shows in Australia. Boneo Park and

Orange CDIs gave the Australian based riders a

chance to improve our Olympic rider rankings and to

gain an MES with both events inviting 5*

international judges.

In contrast to the Australian summer competitions,

European shows went ahead in the deep winter

freeze. Brett Parbery and Hayley Beresford braved

the -22° in Poland competing with their horses Lord

of Loxley and Belissimo. Lyndal Oatley enjoyed not

much better weather while competing in Germany,

while Mary Hanna (who is currently in the UK)

reporting the difficulty in getting her horses

from the stables, through the snow, to the indoor for

training.

On Sunday 19th February Rachael Sanna’s Jaybee

Alabaster (owned by Bev Edwards) with groom

Helen Bray, along with Ferero and Chantal Wigan

left Australia for the long trek to Europe to train and

prepare for competitions. Alabaster went to

Germany and Ferero to Holland where they will be

based in the lead up to the nomination events in

May / June. Both horses travelled very well and

have arrived safely at their destinations.

Meanwhile, the riders already in Europe are starting

to accumulate some miles with long distances to

travel to shows. Brett Parbery, Mary Hanna and

Hayley Beresford have all made the very long trek to

Vidauban in the South of France for two CDI

competitions. Lyndal Oatley travelled to Bremen in

the north for the Bremen CDI in the first week of

March.

As reported last month, Rachael Sanna and Jaybee

Alabaster will compete at the World Cup Final in

s’Hertogenbosch 19-20 April. The Ground Jury for

the Final will include three members of the Ground

Jury for London – Stephen Clarke (GBR), Gary

Rockwell (USA) and Leif Tornblad (DEN).

As the weather begins to warm up in Europe and

more shows are programmed, the riders wi

continue their training, competing and preparations

for the Olympic nomination events to be held

May/June.

Rozzie Ryan had a very successful show at the

Dressage with Altitude CDI3* winning all 3 Grand

Prix classes on GV Bullwinkle. Scoring GP 65.745%,

GPF 69.625% and GPS 67.844%. Well done Rozzie.

A full report can be seen here

Overseas our squad riders have been busy. Please see the next page for the most recent results.

From the NPDs (National Performance Directors)

Hayley Beresford ‘rugged up’ in Poland where the ground was frozen and temps of minus 22°

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Prue Barrett - EVENTING

The most significant recent event was the announcement of Australia’s eventing qualification for the Games. This was mentioned previously so I won't repeat the story. Obviously, it is great to have the qualification secured and focus on the preparation for London.

We recently conducted a successful UK training clinic. The UK based riders in the Elite, A and Futures Squads were all invited to attend. In total there were around 28 combinations. Coaches Brett Parbery and Gilbert Boeckmann were joined by well-known British dressage coach and rider, Gareth Hughes.

Riders also worked with Vic Kahn (Sports Science / Sports Medicine) and Jon Pitts (Athlete Performance).

Alec Lochore, the Equestrian Section Manager from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) gave a presentation to the riders and the horse owners on what to expect at the London Games.

The training clinic was held at Unicorn Equestrian Trust, Stow on the Wold, the same venue as the pre-Olympic staging camp which gives the riders and coaching team the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the venue. It was great to be able to include the horse owners in the camp as they are so important to our team.

Our riders are gearing up for the first events of the season in both hemispheres starting their competition program leading into London.

The major CCIs on the Eventing calendar leading into London are: Valrano (ITA) April 19-22 Sydney April 26-29 Rolex Kentucky (USA) April 26-29

Badminton (UK) May 4-7 Saumur (FRA) May 17-20 Melbourne June 8-11 Luhmuhlen (GER) June 15-17 The final date for team nomination to the AOC is June 18. Below: images from the training camp

Recent overseas dressage results by squad members

CDI3* Wroclaw (POL) 7 Feb B. Parbery Lord of Loxley GP 66.830% GPF 70.63% CDI3* Wroclaw (POL) 12 Feb B. Parbery Lord of Loxley GP 66.700% GPS 66.330% H. Beresford Belissimo NRW GP 69.530% GPS 69.740% H. Beresford Simba G GP 66.600% GPS 66.910% CDI-W Neumunster (GER) 19 Feb H. Beresford Belissimo NRW GP 67.298% GPF 67.400% CDI3* Vidauban (FRA) 26 Feb B.Parbery Lord of Loxley GP 63.617% GP consolation 62.801% H. Beresford Simba G GP 65.277% M.Hanna Sancette GP 67.128% GPF 72.625% M. Hanna Umbro GP 65.851% GP consolation 62.730% CDI3* Vidauban (FRA) 4 Mar B.Parbery Lord of Loxley GP 66.830% GPF 69.925% M.Hanna Sancette GP 66.511% GPF 69.925% M. Hanna Umbro GP 64.128% GPS 63.622% CDI3* Bremen (GER) 4 Mar L. Oatley Potifar GP 65.340% GPS 66.267%

Good luck to our Aussie riders competing at the Trans-Tasman contest this Easter. A team of four combinations will take on the Kiwis at the CIC3* event which will be staged at Kihikihi.

The combinations to represent Australia are:

Shane Rose Taurus Christine Bates Delago Nat Blundell Algebra Katja Weimann BP Gallantry

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Stephen Lamb - JUMPING

Article by Peter Cooke.

When you watch any modern sport today, you know there is a back office of people collecting and analysing information and results about any aspect of ‘the game’. In tennis it’s the number of head to head competitions or number of unforced errors, in cricket it may be the batting or bowling figures. In jumping we have not spent a great deal of time reviewing statistics with the exception of grading points, series competitions such as the World Cup and internationally the Rolex Rider Rankings.

The High Performance Team has spent time analysing the past six Olympic Games to determine the task in hand for our team, the Selection Panel needs information to meet the expected criteria and what is needed for our team to deliver the target of a top eight finish.

The graph below indicates the team total faults after the first round of the past six Olympic Games and specifically, the number of faults for those who finished in the top eight – this shows that the average and our target is 18 faults - two horses with four faults or less, and one with eight faults. In Beijing the eighth placed team made the second round with a team score of 27 faults but in Athens it was 18 faults.

If we are looking to medal, then the first round score cannot be more than 12 faults, although you can see that to medal in Atlanta in 1996 the team score for the medal after the first round was only 8 faults.

At the Beijing Olympics, Australia finished a creditable seventhth overall, and in fact as our last rider came into the ring, a clear round would have won the bronze medal. If you look at the scores in the graph (beside), you can see that after the first

round, Australia was very much in the mix with 18 faults and so we identified that we needed to provide our elite riders with the same intense pressure to perform in Nations Cup competitions.

On the competition front Australia recently competed at the CSIO4* Nations’ Cup in Wellington (USA).

Team representatives were:

Harley Brown and Cassiato

Matt Williams and Watch Me

Thaisa Erwin and Matilda

Mark Lindh and Coolio

Jamie Kermond (Colthaga) and Cathy Graham (Da Vinci’s Pride) had been selected but were not able to compete.

Unfortunately, Australia did not make it through to the second round – a full report of the event can be found at:

http://www.aet.equestrian.org.au/?Page=28271

Whilst things did not go our way Australia has made a concerted effort to participate in Nations Cup competitions around the world over the past 3-4 years, as they provide an excellent springboard for our riders and horses to participate in the international arena against some very recognised names, understand the added pressure of team scores and access the highest levels of competition. While it is better to deliver a placing, we never underestimate the value these events contribute to the overall development of our riders.

The weekend did have a silver lining with three of our riders qualifying for the Grand Prix. Matt

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Williams jumped a great clear round to secure an MES for London. There were eleven clear rounds for the class and Matt had two rails first out in a very fast paced jump off won by the experienced Nick Skelton on Carlo 273, followed very closely by Laura Kraut with Cedric.

We also competed in the first senior Trans-Tasman team competition in Hawera, New Zealand last weekend. Representing Australia were:

Brett Warren and Cheezy Z

Tim Clarke and Caltango,

Jamie Winning and Congo Z

Evie Buller and Yalambi's Landor

Billy Raymont (Ocean Beach NZPH) was selected on the team however was forced to withdraw due to a flood crisis on his property. Sheridan Maneul (Renmarno) was also selected but could not make the trip.

Each of the Aussie team members

incurred eight faults in the first

round.

The New Zealand team finished on a

score of 28 faults, well clear of the

Australians on 44 over the two

round competition.

Despite the loss, Chef D’Equipe Vicki

Roycroft was happy with the team’s

efforts.

“This is a team of first-time senior

team representatives and they did a

great job. The horses were a little

fresh having missed the Saturday

classes. I think every combination

will take a lot away from this show

and will be better for it,” she said.

Australian non-team member Paula

Media Updates

Keep an eye out for Edwina

Tops-Alexander on the Ch 9

Olympic ads.

Stuart Tinney filmed a Ch 9

ad last week so stay tuned.

Stuart will also feature in the

Weekend Australian in the

coming months.

The Australian Newspaper

featured Clayton and Lucinda

Fredericks

http://www.theaustralian.co

m.au/sport/london-

games/husband-and-wife-

riding-for-gold-on-home-

ground/story-e6frgdg6-

1226262274696

Edwina Tops-Alexander is

mentioned as an Olympic

medal hope in the Courier

Mail

http://www.couriermail.com.

au/ipad/meet-the-olympic-

dream-chasers/story-

fn6ck6i3-1226254709629

Grace Bowman featured in

the Adelaide Advertiser

http://www.adelaidenow.co

m.au/ipad/amazing-

grace/story-fn3o6wog-

1226260600082

Eventing Team a chance for a

medal according the The

Australian Newspaper

http://www.theaustralian.co

m.au/sport/eventing-team-a-

dark-horse-for-medal/story-

e6frg7mf-1226286652858

Hamood on Nero GPH finished third

in the class.

The second test will take place during the NZ Horse of the Year Show in Hastings 13-18 March.

Full report can be seen at http://www.aet.equestrian.org.au/?Page=28274

NZ Horse of the Year web site

2012 Australian Olympic Team Membership Agreement - Athletes

We draw your attention to the 2012 Team Membership Agreement – Athletes (Agreement) which is now accessible on the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) website (olympics.com.au).

In particular, we note that athletes participating in the Olympic Games must not allow their person, name, picture or sports performance to be used for advertising purposes during the Games Period.

The period to which this applies is 16 July 2012 and ends at midnight on 15 August 2012 to protect the rights of all Team Sponsors.

In this period, no advertising or promotion featuring an athlete or any other participant in the Olympic Games may occur without the approval of the AOC (and generally that approval will only be given to a Sponsor of the Australian Olympic Team) plus the approval of any athlete featured in the advertisement. The AOC has advised the IOC we will retain our rights of approval of the use of athlete images in Australia for multi territory advertisements as required by Rule 40(3) dealing with the use of athlete images as clarified by the IOC Director, Television and Marketing and the Director of NOC Relations.

Please go to the AOC website to read more www.olympics.com.au

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Julia Battams – PARA-EQUESTRIAN

The Para-Equestrian squad enjoyed a very successful AIS camp on 13-16 February.

Vic Kahn, Equestrian Australia’s Sports Science/Sport Medicine (SSSM) Manager, planned a full programme of both educational and practical sessions.

Each day riders participated in either a swimming or gym session using their existing programmes, under the supervision of AIS strength and conditioning

trainers, and new additions to these programmes were developed as required for each rider.

These sessions were followed by structured recovery sessions in the purpose built Recovery Centre. This involves a structured schedule of hot and cold pools and plunge pools.

Nutritional sessions and medical screenings were also part of the camp and healthy eating in the AIS food hall amongst all the other athletes showed our riders once again that to be an international athlete you live it every minute of every day, eat, train, recover, eat, train, recover, sleep!

The athletes also enjoyed a physio/massage session with Keran Faulkner. Read more HERE

TECHNICAL ADVANCES ASSISTING PARA-EQUESTRIAN PROGRAMME

The Para-Equestrian programme is now able to take

advantage of new technological advances thanks to the implementation of a Pressure Sensor system from Tekscan. This product is comprised of three pressure sensing pads: one under the rider’s seat and one under each foot.

These pads attach to a transmitter worn around the rider’s waist and transmit information wirelessly back to a receiver where it is displayed in real time or recorded to a laptop screen. Information is expressed through colour contours which reflect weight distribution throughout the riders’ seat and stirrups.

Particularly with Para-Equestrian riders, this weight distribution information is critical as, in many cases, the rider’s disability can mean either a physical imbalance or reduced sensation thus making it difficult to achieve balanced weight distribution in the saddle. Our riders are now able to perform a series of movements and then review the recording, or even ride towards the screen, adjusting their position according to what they see in real-time.

Already we have seen one case where a rider has been consistently able to perform a half pass well to the right and not as well to the left. Using the pressure equipment we were able to identify an imbalance in weight distribution, adjust her position slightly and see an instant and marked improvement in the horse’s ability to perform the movement. One of the real benefits of this technology is also that we can retain data and actually log improvement. There are very few things we can actually measure in dressage but this tool able to give us some clear and quantifiable information which our riders can utilise to improve their effectiveness in the saddle.

We have only just started utilising this equipment and are only beginning to see what a potentially powerful tool this will be for our programme.

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Key Dates leading into London

1. Eventing - Five combinations will be selected for the team. Riders do not have to attend a specific competition, but main events where the HP program will have a presence are:

Sydney CCI3* 25 – 29 April (major event in AUS)

Rolex Kentucky CCI4* 25 – 29 April

Badminton CCI4* 3 – 7 May

Saumur CCI3* (FRA) 17 – 20 May

Melbourne CCI3* 7 – 11 June (While most riders will aim for Sydney, Melbourne will be back up)

Luhmuhlen CCI4* (GER) 14 – 17 June (HP presence TBC as unlikely that riders would target this event, but maybe last chance and will monitor!)

2. Dressage – Riders must compete in two compulsory nomination events. Eight combinations will compete for three places on the Dressage team.

Mannheim CDI3* (GER) 3 – 8 May

Compiegne CDI3* (FRA) 31 May – 3 June 3. Jumping – Riders must compete in two compulsory nomination events. Eight combinations at nomination events will compete for five places on the Jumping team. Edwina Tops-Alexander is likely to be pre-nominated

Lummen (BEL) 2- 6 May and Linz CSI4* (AUT) 10 – 13 May

Bourg en Bresse CSI4* - 31 May – 3 June 4. Para-Equestrian –Athletes need to compete in at least three of the four nomination events. There are two events remaining. The team will consist of four combinations.

Para-EQ Nomination # 3 (Werribee, VIC) 12 – 15 April

Para-EQ Nomination Event # 4 (SIEC) 10 – 13 May Other Key Dates

13 May – Para-Equestrian selectors meeting

14 May – Para-Equestrian shadow team notified of nomination/non-nomination to the Olympic Team

2 June - Dressage selectors meeting

2 June – Dressage shadow team notified of nomination/non-nomination to the Olympic Team

3 June – Jumping selectors meeting

3 June – Jumping shadow team notified of nomination/non nomination to the Olympic Team

12 June – Eventing selectors meeting

17 June – Eventing shadow team informed of nomination/non nomination

7 July – AUS horses depart for UK

Do you have friends or family travelling to the London 2012 Olympic Games? The Australian Government is encouraging all travellers to register their details at http://smarttraveller.gov.au/ - it’s a quick and easy process so log on today.

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Equestrian Australia including the Australian Equestrian

Team thanks its program partners and sponsors….